Effect of the Deprivation of Amino Acids on Conidia of Neurospora crassa

Abstract

SUMMARY: Arginine and glutamine, which prevents the catabolism of arginine, are accumulated when conidia of auxotrophic mutants of Neurospora crassa are deprived of an amino acid. This accumulation requires sources of carbon and nitrogen, an intact arginine biosynthetic pathway, de novo synthesis of pyrimidines and protein synthesis. There is coordination between the synthesis of glutamine and the synthesis and catabolism of arginine. Conditions which allow these amino acids to accumulate prevent exogenous arginine from being catabolized. Since more than half of the accumulated amino nitrogen is stored as glutamine and arginine, it is proposed that these amino acids are nitrogen and/or carbon reservoirs under non-growth conditions.